Good morning, early birds. Leaders at the East Asia Summit have agreed to terms for the world’s largest trade deal, and new documents reveal the donors bankrolling climate change action. It’s the news you need to know, with Rachel Withers. This week is Inq Week here at Crikey. We’re all extremely proud of Inq and to celebrate its four month anniversary, we’ve torn down the paywall. Share all the in-depth reporting Inq has produced so far with your friends or revisit it yourself. | | | | | | | COMING TO TERMS Asia Pacific leaders at the East Asia Summit have agreed to the terms of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the ABC reports. The trade deal, likely be signed sometime next year, would formalise trade rules across 15 countries, covering about 29% of global GDP and making it the world’s largest such deal. India held out on joining amid concerns the deal would undermine its struggling economy, with leaders leaving the door open to joining in the future. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged patience on the deal, as well as downplaying concerns about India’s objections. A US envoy on the sidelines of the summit, meanwhile, accused China of “intimidation” in the South China Sea, saying Beijing has bullied smaller nations by militarising resource-rich waters, The Guardian reports. | BANKROLLING CHANGE Documents released by the AEC reveal that philanthropists helped bankroll climate-focused candidates in the 2019 federal election, with independents also attracting a large number of smaller donations, Nine reports. Climate200, a not-for-profit set up by renewable energy advocate Simon Holmes a Court, raised $305,000 from 27 philanthropists, bankrolling candidates such as Zali Steggall, Kerryn Phelps, Helen Haines and Oliver Yates. Holmes a Court has vowed to double the fundraising for the next election, raising $1 million for candidates targeting climate change action. Atlassian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, who donated $50,000 to the fund, has today slammed the PM’s proposed boycott crackdown, arguing all Australians have the right to try to force a business to change its behaviour. | TWO STEPS BACK A native forest in Queensland due to become national park will be kept open for logging to save jobs, while Dubbo, NSW, has changed its water restriction definition following fierce backlash to tighter restrictions. The Queensland government has decided to extend current harvesting permits in the Wide Bay-Burnett region until 2026, arguing the decision will save up to 500 “sustainable” jobs. Dubbo Council, meanwhile, has voted to change the definition of the current water restriction level, increasing the daily water allowance by 35 litres and allowing residents to water their lawns, following sustained pressure. The decision was made despite Dubbo’s dam sitting at 3.7% capacity, Nine reports. | THEY REALLY SAID THAT? | “ | Delighted to tip-off Biosecurity Tasmania to raid all other Federal MPs and Senators’ offices. — Andrew Wilkie |
The independent MP “thanked” Facebook for a promotional floral arrangement, noting that the eyebrow-raising gift was in breach of biosecurity laws. | READ ALL ABOUT IT | CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY | | | | “His true triumph, however, was the elimination of the climate action movement. While many said his planned crackdown on climate protests would be unconstitutional, his expansion of the definition of national security to cover fossil fuels and the addition of environmental groups to Australia’s list of proscribed groups — hailed by the Press Gallery as a masterstroke of wedge politics — provided his government with the tools to suppress ‘economic terrorists’. With a new nationwide facial recognition database, once-disruptive climate protests became a thing of the past. The Green Night AFP raids of 2026 on the last remaining environmental groups made their economic vandalism an historical footnote.” |
| | | | “Attempts by protesters to blockade the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Melbourne have been met by a… let’s call it a heavy-handed police response.Videos of cops shoving, hitting and unleashing pepper spray have gone viral, even as Victoria Police repeatedly tried to shift the blame onto the protesters themselves. On Tuesday, footage emerged of an officer hitting a woman in the face with a baton while she had her hands raised in submission. Acting Commander Tim Tully said he was unaware of the use of batons. Victoria Police later said they were in, fact, aware, and would be reviewing the footage. In another video, an officer appears to punch a young woman in the head.” |
| | | | “The notion that we can’t question social or technological changes is ridiculous. There’s much that needs to be interrogated: the rise of the two full-time wage home, the excessive use of commodified or simply impersonal childcare, the absence of adequate parental leave (based in part on a left/progressive refusal of it), the emergence of same-sex male couple parenting, the rise of what might be shallow and non-integrative forms of gender fluidity in adolescence (which may be caused by a cultural refusal to emphasise the primacy of the embodied sexed being). All these issues need to be explored with intellectual courage.” |
| | | | | | | THE COMMENTARIAT The Prime Minister’s anti-protest laws are attacks on investors too – Jenna Price (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald): “Ten years later, my ethical fund is outperforming all the others. No fossil fuels. No armaments. No tobacco. No gambling. It’s a top 10 fund and it delivers fabulous returns. But my fabulous fund and the companies in which it invests didn’t get that way by accident. Campaigners have been working for decades to stop super funds from investing in companies, which damage our lives. Divestment campaigns work wonders – just look at the successful actions taken at the Australian National University, which divested from fossil fuel investment. The Prime Minister’s proposed laws would stop that kind of activism. The activists who brought you ethical funds and ethical investments would easily be undone by laws like these.” ABC bias is clear from timing of horseracing industry expose but it won’t stop the Melbourne Cup ($) – Alan Jones (The Daily Telegraph): “The 7.30 report itself seemed to have been premeditated and sensationalised. Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V’landys was not shown the footage before or during his interview, thereby depriving him of the opportunity to respond or express his views on the shocking and appalling treatment of the horses. One can only assume that the ABC wanted a “gotcha’” moment by not showing V’landys any of the footage or even informing him that it had such footage. A fair and balanced report would have provided that opportunity and also stated that the footage at the Queensland abattoir did not show any horses from NSW. Instead, 7.30’s report was focused on dramatising and sensationalising the issue prior to the Spring Racing Carnival.” We’re getting closer to a sensible debate on nuclear power ($) – Judith Sloan (The Australian): “Australia’s experience with nuclear power can best be summed up by the phrase “missed it by that much”. We’ve come close to establishing a nuclear power industry but events conspired against it. So can we create the conditions that might lead to the construction of nuclear power plants? After all, we’re blessed with ample uranium and nuclear-powered electricity has the advantages of being both reliable (24/7) and emissions-free.” | | Know an early bird who doesn’t get the worm?
Show them what they’re missing and share this email with a friend and let them know they can get a free trial here. |
| | | HOLD THE FRONT PAGE | WHAT’S ON TODAY National Anti-horse racing activists from Horse Racing Kills will protest the Melbourne Cup in Perth, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne. DefenceCare will launch its annual Poppy Appeal, raising funds to support programs and initiatives for veterans and their families in the lead-up to Remembrance Day. Melbourne Flemington Racecourse will host the 159th running of the Melbourne Cup. Evie’s Disco Diner will host one of many “NUP TO THE CUP!” events around the city, with a drag brunch raising funds for Save a Horse Australia. Perth Crown Perth workers fighting for an improved enterprise agreement offer a plan to cause chaos with a four-hour strike and picket line. Sydney The 18th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in Ageing will take place, with the theme “Equality and Diversity”. Leading global strategy advisor Dr Parag Khanna will give the 2019 Michael Hintze Lecture, making a case for why the future is Asian. Newcastle, New South Wales The Select Committee into Jobs for the Future in Regional Areas will hold a public hearing in Newcastle. |
| | | | | COPYRIGHT © 2019 PRIVATE MEDIA OPERATIONS PTY LTD, PUBLISHERS OF CRIKEY.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |
|
